“I didn’t know. I should have gotten her number, or kept in touch somehow. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened—”
“No.” The word lashed out of him like a whip, and she visibly cringed. Silently cursing himself, he knelt in front of her and took her hands in his own. “No, baby. You couldn’t have stopped this. It’s a tragedy, but there wasn’t anything you could have done to stop it. Okay?”
She closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. “I guess. I just don’t understand.”
He opened his mouth to tell her it was okay when a shadow fell over them. Irritated by the intrusion, he looked up to find Detective Michaelson standing over them.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry to bother you.” Michaelson’s voice dripped with the same fake sympathy tainting his smile. “But we need to talk. The director is letting us use his office.”
“Can’t this wait?” James snapped.
“No, I’m afraid it can’t, Mr. Monroe. There’s been another murder.”
Chapter Fourteen
Detective Michaelson’swords had Olivia jerking her head up to stare at him. “What? When?”
But Michaelson just smiled his fake sympathetic smile. “Please come with me. This conversation is best had in private.”
James stood and held his hand out to her. “Come on, baby. I’m right here with you.”
Daddy’s here.She heard the words as clearly as if he’d said them. Leaning on that bit of strength, she slipped her hand into his and let him pull her to her feet. Hand in hand, they followed Michaelson down the hall to the office. The other detective was there, along with Shannon and a woman Olivia vaguely remembered from the shoot. Shannon looked up when they entered, and her red-rimmed eyes went wide with shock.
“Liv!” Rushing over, Shannon threw her arms around Olivia’s neck. “They said there’d been another murder and they wouldn’t tell me who and I hadn’t seen you.” Her voice hitched and her arms tightened around Olivia.
“I’m here.” Olivia rubbed her back, doing her best to soothe her friend. “I’m right here. I’m fine.”
“I know, I just—I need a minute. God, Liv, I was so fucking scared it was you.”
“It’s not me. I’m right here, Shay.”
“Okay.” Shannon pulled away and wiped at her eyes before slipping an arm around Olivia’s waist. “Okay,” she repeated softly.
James moved to her other side, lending her some more of his strength. God knew she needed it. Even flanked by her husband and her closest friend, she was terrified of the news to come.